CHARLTON HESTON - DOCUMENT SIGNED 02/02/1986 - HFSID 250388

CHARLTON HESTON
Heston signed this document as a witness in 1986. It allows Nicholas Volpe to draw the likeness of a Ben-Hur actress for a fund-raising coupon book.
Typed document signed "Charlton Heston" as Witness, 1 page, 8½x11. No place, February 2, 1986. Headed: "Grant of License". In full: "I hereby grant a non-exclusive license to the MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION FUND, a California charitable corporation, USA MARKETING GROUP, INC., a Texas corporation, and NICHOLAS VOLPE, individually, for a one-time use of my likeness as illustrated by Nicholas Volpe in reference to my performance in Ben-Hur, to be used in the fund-raising coupon book entitled, 'HEART OF HOLLYWOOD.'" Heston has filled in "Ben-Hur". Also signed: "Carol M. Lanning" as a second witness. CHARLTON HESTON won the Best Actor Academy Award for his role as Judah Ben-Hur in the 1959 epic film, Ben-Hur. The Biblical action-drama, which was MGM's most expensive film to that date, was the top grossing film of 1959 and won Academy Awards for Best Actor (Heston), Best Supporting Actor (Hugh Griffith), Best Picture, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Drama or Comedy Score, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Color Art Direction and Best Color Cinematography and was nominated for Oscars for Best Color Costume Design and Best Special Effects. The cast of the film, which included the classic chariot race sequence, also included Stephen Boyd, Martha Scott and Sam Jaffe. Heston (1923-2008, born John Charles Carter in Evanston, Illinois) was an Oscar-winning American actor and political activist. His made his film debut in Dark City (1950) and got his big break when Cecil B. DeMille cast him as circus manager Brad Braden in The Greatest Show on Earth two years later. Heston found his niche when DeMille cast him as Moses in The Ten Commandments in 1956, the first in a series of larger-than-life roles that included such epics as Ben-Hur (1959), for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role, El Cid (1961), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) and Planet of the Apes (1968). In 1977, the actor was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Active in politics, Heston served an unprecedented three terms as President of the National Rifle Association. CAROL M. LANNING was Heston's secretary for many years. Slightly creased with folds, not at signature. Heston's name written (unknown hand) at upper margin. Otherwise in fine condition.